Voorander
Plain snappers
Everyone keeps reassuring me that they're herbivores. But I can't help but notice that the pods constantly cracking between their beaks are basically the same size as a human head.
Panko Kristov, Prielian Reaper, 1691 AoE
V
ooranders are massive herbivorous animals native to the Boundless Plain. They are notable for their armored skin and their large beaks. They have been key to human life on the Boundless Plain because they can be domesticated and trained to haul sizable loads into populated areas.
Basic Information
Dietary Needs and Habits
T
assleroot is the primary food source of the voorander. These huge grasses spawn massive underground legumes that are inedible to humans. Vooranders use their snouts and their hooves to root up the legumes. Then they crack open the hard shells with their massive beaks.
Biological Cycle
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lthough vooranders can be found at any place on the Boundless Plain, at any time of the year, they move in small migratory herds that tend to rotate around the vast area.
Additional Information
Domestication
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ooranders are a boon to many residents of the Boundless Plain as one of the few animals in that region that can reasonably be domesticated. They can be irritable and their sharp beaks have known to kill, but when properly pacified they serve as valuable pack animals. For those who harvest Plains staples, such as bleedblade, vooranders are a critical resource in hauling their crops to market.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
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lthough it's theoretically feasible to eat vooranders, this is rarely done. Their value as pack animals creates a symbiosis with casterways that makes them think of eating voorander the same way that most Earthlings think of eating horse. Besides, voorander meat is usually described as chewy, greasy, and generally unappetizing. Although the creatures are not raised specifically for this purpose, when they die their tough, armored hides are frequently repurposed. Their covering on their backs is almost completely rigid and can be used in shields, tools, and even construction. The rest of their hide is flexible enough that it can be fashioned into effective armor.
Facial characteristics
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heir most striking facial feature is their beak. Although they are herbivores, they will not hesitate to snap at humans when irritated. Their massive size, coupled with their formidable power, means that they are perfectly capable of removing a human's arm - or even the head.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
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ooranders are exclusive to the Boundless Plain and the Stoneyards of Islegantuan. In the wild, they will occasionally drift into the edges of the Stonwold, Arlinwold, and Emerwold, but this activity is limited. They never stray so far into the forest that they can't get back to the Boundless Plain within an hour or so. While they frequently trace the edges of rivers to ensure a constant drinking supply, they are most at home in the open plain, as opposed to some of the river basins that are prominent on the northeastern, northwestern, and southwestern regions of the Boundless Plain.
Scientific Name
Anthozoa arsinius
Lifespan
40 years
Average Height
4.2 meters
Average Weight
1.1 metric tons
Average Length
6.5 meters
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
The overlapping plates on their backs are grey, silver, or green. The rest of their skin is rust/ochre with tan stripes. Their necks are light tan, or even somewhat pink. And their large, thick beaks are always black.
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